


I Don't Dance

by LilyFire



Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms, The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Cute, F/M, Fluff, Fun, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-27
Updated: 2015-11-27
Packaged: 2018-05-03 14:23:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5294552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilyFire/pseuds/LilyFire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Beth teaches Daryl how to dance while at a party in Alexandria.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Don't Dance

**Author's Note:**

> Setting: Alexandria  
> Prompt: going to a party, Beth teaches Daryl how to dance

“I ain’t going to no cocktail party” Daryl grunted, tugging at the uncomfortable shirt he’d been forced into.

“Yes, you are.” Beth countered, hands on her hips.

He turned to snap at her, but the retort was quickly forgotten.

She wore a blue knee-length dress, the color setting off her eyes, and her hair was brushed till it shone like gold.

A blush blossomed on her cheeks and she quickly looked away in embarrassment. 

Daryl continued to stare, when had the farmer’s daughter grown up? Apparently while everyone was running for their lives. 

“Beth are you ready?” Maggie shouted, clomping down the stairs, Glenn following closely behind. 

“Ow,” she cursed as she tripped on the last step. Her husband caught her laughingly “I told you not to wear heels.”

“Well I ain’t ever wore ‘em before.”

Beth rushed to her sister’s side “Maggie I’m not sure this is such a good idea – ”

“I’ll be fine.”

Glenn flashed his sister-in-law a helpless look, but she only resumed her place by Daryl.

“Well someone cleans up nicely” Carol whistled, eyeing Daryl.

Beth narrowed his eyes while Daryl shifted uncomfortably. 

The woman approached closer, her eyes still roving over his body. 

“You know, I think the invite said to bring a date.”

Beth’s fingers quickly found Daryl’s, and he squeezed her hand gratefully “I guess you’ll have to go with Rick then, because everybody’s already buddied up…”

Despite Beth’s sweet smile, Carol got the message, angrily huffing before turning to Rick.

“We ready?” their leader asked.

“Ready as we’ll ever be.” Daryl’s gruff voice sounded beside Beth.

“Leave the bow at home.” He reprimanded

He started to complain but Beth gently squeezed his hand. 

“Fine.” He dropped it ungracefully on the couch before tugging open the door “After you.”

 

***

 

After never being able to have fire at dark for so long, the amount of light in the house was blinding. Every lamp must have been turned on, and the accompanying noise made   
Daryl almost wish for walkers.

People chattered and sipped champagne, the whole thing was like some damn foreign movie.

Rick gave a nod and the group dispersed, his previous lecture fresh in their minds 

“Keep your eyes peeled and your senses alert, but remember, we’re trying to prove we ain’t dangerous to these people, so mingle.”

Despite the command Daryl stayed glued to Beth’s side. So far the little blonde was the only one not annoying him so far.

Someone started up an old record player and the sound of music felt so alien.

Beth clapped her hands together, startling Daryl. “Oh I love this song!”

A few of the other guests began to sway to the beat, and one old guy even went so far as to lead his wife out into the center of the living room. Furniture was quickly cleared away   
and more people joined in.

Beth hummed along, her smile growing wider by the minute. She was happy, and it radiated off her in waves. Even Daryl was beginning to be affected, and he didn’t like this   
damn little seed of optimism growing in him.

After another minute Beth surprised them both “Come on!” she grabbed his hand and tugged him towards the dancers.

Daryl pulled back “I ain’t dancin’ girl.”

“Well you can’t let me dance by myself! This is a great song! Come on!”

Daryl grumbled, he was nobody’s bitch despite whatever Merle said otherwise, but he was even starting to grow excited.

“I can’t dance.” He warned

“It’s ‘kay, I’ll teach you.”

She was so delicate next to him, and when she stared up into his face with those big cornflower blue eyes he felt an odd fluttering in his chest. 

Must be the music, he hypothesized.

One hand slipped into his and she held their entwined fingers aloft, parallel to the ground.

From the corner of his eye Daryl could see Carol snickering, but Rick just gave him a thumbs up.

If Beth noticed their interested audience, she paid no heed.

“Place your other hand on my waist.”

“On your what?” he was temporarily mortified, no way he was touching her in front of her sister, Maggie’d gut him in an instant.

“My waist.” She repeated

Hesitantly he settled his hand at her side. She really was small, his hand spanned nearly half her back.

She smiled up at him and the fluttering in his chest gained tempo.

Her fingers slipped up to his shoulder, and his hair brushed feather light across her skin.

It’d been a long time since he’d held a woman in such a way, and Beth was by far one of the best.

“Now what?” he grumbled. 

“Dance.”

He glared at her and she giggled, nearly eliciting a grin from him.

Together they swayed to the music, through one song and then the next. 

Daryl began to get the hang of it, and at one point he even twirled her.

She laughed and her skirt ballooned out around her, her hair flew like falling rays of sunshine. 

The fun was infectious, and Daryl felt his heart drop when the music began to fade out. 

The grumblings of dissatisfaction and pleas for more had the dj quickly putting on a new disc. 

But this song was much slower, a romantic ballad. 

Beth’s face heated up and Daryl looked anywhere but her. He wanted to escape, but he couldn’t abandon her on the dance floor. He may not have been raised a gentleman, but he did possess some manners. 

The song progressed slowly, and the tension between the two was rising like cake batter in an oven.

Beth must have known the song, for she began to hum. The soft, familiar sound comforted Daryl, though he was still on high alert with every part of his body tense.

Then, she did an even more surprising thing.

She leaned her head onto his shoulder, right above his heart.

Daryl froze, and Beth’s body momentarily stiffened in reaction.

“This botherin’ you?” she whispered

His heart was thudding loudly, and he was afraid she could hear it. Her hand came to rest on the back of his neck, her fingers softly entwining in his hair. 

“n-no.” 

Daryl Dixon never stuttered, but around the youngest Greene girl he was at a loss for words. 

She sighed, a content sigh, and he began to ease up, enjoying the feel of her against him. 

He tightened his arms around her and rested his chin atop her head, gently breathing in the vanilla scent of her soft hair. 

 

He could get used to this, these stupid cocktail parties.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
